A Message from our New President

posted May 1, 2013, 9:41 AM by Brian Hoffman

Hello to all. I first want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as president of IBM Ring 280 for the upcoming year.

By way of quick introduction, I have been a proponent of magic for most of my life. I was a member of IBM Ring 21 in the early 70s, and became a member of the Magic Castle in 1978. I have performed in a variety of magic venues, with close-up magic becoming my primary interest. I have been a featured performer in the Close-up Gallery of the Magic Castle since 1999. Some of my tricks and ideas have since been published in magic magazines, periodicals, and books. I have also lectured for IBM and SAM on my original creations.

Outside of magic, I am a Vietnam veteran, and have held a professional career at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena for the past 30 years, working as a senior systems engineer and engineering manager.

And I’d say that’s enough about me for now, other than adding that I am very excited about my new opportunity to help shape the upcoming year for Ring 280. I strongly believe that people join magic clubs and attend meetings for the purpose of making like-minded friends, for learning, and for becoming better magicians. Within our club, we have years of knowledge and experience in many aspects of magic. I believe that we can harness those resources to share our collective knowledge and experience within the club. We each have something to offer and something to gain.

I recently met with the board to discuss some subtle changes to the upcoming meetings that will allow more time for members to interact, become better acquainted, and to share and talk about magic. Along with the standard performance opportunities that we already enjoy, I plan to coordinate workshops where we can focus in on various areas of interest, as well as develop and sharpen our acts. Think about what you would like to learn about and what you can share….

Good meeting attendance will be key to strengthening our club and getting the most out of it. Certainly, during the summer months, some of us will be away on family vacations, etc. However, once we get the ball rolling, we will elevate the overall level of magic and fun. After all, that's what it is all about.